Beaumes De Venise: Culture, Wine and Landscape

Beaumes De Venise can be explored through three specific themes: the architecture and history around Aubune, the Muscat tradition and the landscape of the Dentelles de Montmirail. When planning your trip, it helps to keep these areas of interest distinct: you might focus on visiting cultural sites, learning about wine, or going hiking or cycling.

Chapelle Notre-Dame d’Aubune and Aubune

The Chapelle Notre-Dame d’Aubune was classified as a historic monument by decree on 19 November 1910. Its bell tower is considered a Romanesque masterpiece of the 12th century; the chapel also includes a priory classified as a historic monument. The area outside the chapel is part of the free tours of the Aubune site offered by volunteers from the Académie de Beaumes-de-Venise.

The tours also include the archaeological museum, the medieval garden and the spring gallery. At the Aubune spring, the surrounding area and its gallery have been designed to make access and visibility easier. The tour thus brings together several different themes in one place, from the chapel and garden to the spring.

The Jardin Médiéval d’Aubune was created in 2014/2015. Its layout and design follow the philosophy of medieval gardens, based on the requirements of the Capitulaire de Villis. The garden contains aromatic, dye, culinary, fragrant and medicinal plants. This variety offers a tangible way to explore the medieval concept of a garden: it includes plants for various uses, not just a single type of plant.

At the Espace Archéologique et Géologique, a permanent exhibition displays Greek, Roman, Gallo-Roman and medieval archaeological remains found in the territory of Beaumes-de-Venise. Together with the garden and chapel, this exhibition offers a distinct historical focus, while the tours of the Aubune site connect these stops.

Muscat and wine-growing region

The recorded history of Muscat in Beaumes-de-Venise dates back to around 600 BC: Greek settlers planted the first Muscat vines when they settled in the region. Beaumes-de-Venise was awarded the “Site Remarquable du Goût” designation for its Muscat. In 2013, the town was also among the first destinations in Provence to receive the “Vignobles et Découvertes” label.

Rhonéa offers cellar tours and workshops. Cellar tours require a reservation by email or phone 48 hours in advance, Monday to Friday; they are not accessible to people with reduced mobility. Workshops take place daily except Sundays and public holidays. If you are planning a cellar tour, allow for the required reservation lead time and take note of the stated accessibility limitation.

Rocky landscape and trails

The Dentelles de Montmirail are a mountain range finely sculpted by erosion, reaching an altitude of 755 metres and characterized by typical Mediterranean vegetation. A distinctive rock formation in the area is the Rocher de Rocalinaud, also known as the “Moon Rock”: a sandy sandstone formation with numerous hollows and water reservoirs. From prehistoric times until the end of the 16th century, this rock served as a refuge.

A hike to the Rocher de Rocalinaud starts in the village. Beaumes-de-Venise, with its natural surroundings, is well suited to hiking; there are also numerous starting points for cycling loops. A guided cycling tour through the wine-growing region starts at the winegrowers’ cooperative and passes through different vineyards to the Rocher de Rocalinaud. It returns to the cooperative via the Chapelle Notre-Dame d’Aubune. The two options described therefore have different focuses: the hike leads to the rock, while the cycling tour connects vineyards, rock and chapel on a guided loop. Cycling tour dates and availability may vary; check them before making plans.

Market and trip planning

The weekly market takes place every Tuesday morning. As schedules can change, it is worth checking the date if the market is important to your trip planning. Together, the market, cultural sites, Muscat-related attractions and trails offer different ways to discover Beaumes De Venise according to your interests.

Discover more destinations: Oppède, La Roque-Sur-Pernes, Jonquerettes, Aubignan, Sault-De-Vaucluse, La Bastide-Des-Jourdans, Visan, Velleron.

Return to the main travel overview: Vaucluse.